Thousands rally for peace at World Social Forum

www.alertnet.org 24 Jan 2003 02:02

(Recasts with march, adds quotes) By Nicholas Winning

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Thousands of people from across the globe marched for peace and more socially inclusive economic growth on Thursday to mark the opening day of the third annual World Social Forum in southern Brazil.

"I'm here as this is an expression of a movement that is worldwide ... the movement against (U.S. President George W.) Bush's war is worldwide," said 59-year-old British university lecturer Mike Gonzalez before his voice was drowned out by drums of the procession.

Earlier, WSF organizing committee member Francisco Whitaker declared the event open to a roar of applause from an auditorium packed with representatives from hundreds of grass-roots organizations and publications.

"I welcome government authorities, those people who do not consider themselves authorities and those who are against the authorities," Joao Verle, the mayor of Porto Alegre, told the opening ceremony before calling for "a vigorous demonstration against war and for peace."

Police captain Vanderley da Rosa said 150,000 people had turned out to take part in the procession through the heart of this southern Brazilian city, more than the double the 60,000 who took part in the event last year.

Organizers expect 100,000 people to attend the speeches, discussions, and workshops of the WSF, designed as an alternative to the long-running World Economic Forum, a meeting of the world's power brokers that also began Thursday in Davos, Switzerland.

"IT REMINDS ME OF THE SEVENTIES"

Protests against a U.S.-led military conflict in Iraq were the main order of the day, but other groups chanted for better agricultural workers' land rights, an end to the Palestinian conflict, and better treatment of retirees.

Others chanted for better medication for AIDS sufferers, and against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, an ambitious plan to drop trade barriers from the top of Alaska to the tip of Argentina which some Brazilians believe is a U.S. device to subjugate the region.

Banners read "No to debt and the FTAA", and the obligatory, "Make love, not war". A large group of Palestinians and sympathizers carried a huge Palestinian flag over their heads.

Goatees, tee-shirts emblazoned with the face of Che Guevarra, and sandals were everywhere, as were the innumerable beer and soft-drink sellers which appear whenever there is a public event in Brazil.

"It reminds me of the seventies," said 51-yar-old academic Mark Methven.

A speech on Friday by recently elected left-wing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a champion of social issues and a regular at the past two forums, promises to be the highlight of the six-day event.

So much so that the mention of his name at the opening ceremony set off a soccer-like chant of "Ole-ole-Lula-Lula".

A large U.S. contingent filled with the "Who's Who" of the left, such as political activist Noam Chomsky and socially conscious actors like Danny Glover are also here to rally under the WSF slogan of "Another World is Possible."

Other high profile guests at the WSF to exchange ideas on themes including democratic sustainable development and human rights include Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, former Portuguese Prime Minister Mario Soares, and a slew of writers and authors who have made a name attacking globalization.

Lula, a former union leader of humble origins, is also due to fly to attend the Davos summit. The trip has put a few die-hard left-wing noses out of joint, but there was little sign of resentment at the march where one banner read, "Davos give up! Lula is one of us".